Educational Characteristics
A distinctive teaching system, a fair assessment framework, and our original CLAIR educational philosophy.
Educational Characteristics
The Duncan Academy draws on its own educational resources to provide students with personalized and differentiated learning support. The school adjusts courses and study plans according to each student's intended university direction, academic foundation, and current learning state.
Through long-term teaching practice, the school has built consistent admissions outcomes in business, accounting, media, and engineering pathways, and continues to maintain a high acceptance rate.
Course planning attends not only to "what is being studied" but also to how each course connects with future university applications — giving learning a clearer direction rather than simply completing a course.
Assessment System
The Duncan Academy follows the standardized assessment system used by Ontario high schools. A student's grade is built from both ongoing classroom performance and final assessments — the same approach used across Canadian secondary schools.
Assessment Structure
Includes classroom participation, attendance, completed assignments, projects, and daily performance.
Typically delivered as a final exam, summative project, or comprehensive evaluation that measures overall mastery of the course.
This framework emphasizes the learning process rather than a single exam outcome. A student's understanding, work completion, and engagement are tracked throughout the term. For international students in particular, this structure makes it easier to adapt to a new academic environment and helps grades remain steady over time.
CLAIR Educational Philosophy
The school's original "CLAIR" educational philosophy.
"CLAIR" is the long-standing educational philosophy of The Duncan Academy, emphasizing that beyond academics, students also need to develop the well-rounded capabilities required for the future.
Encouraging students to express ideas and develop problem-solving and innovative thinking.
Building organizational ability and a sense of responsibility through classes, group work, and campus projects.
Helping students set clear goals and encouraging them to keep striving for higher stages.
Cultivating honesty, trustworthiness, and responsible conduct.
Guiding students to respect others, cultural differences, and their own process of growth.
The CLAIR philosophy emphasizes the cultivation of leadership and creativity. Through guided and experiential learning, the school aims to develop students' initiative, sense of responsibility, and awareness of the future — preparing them not only for university study, but also for life and career beyond. The school also believes that students who are more conscious of leadership and creativity are more likely to seize opportunities and to find their place in a complex world.